Sensory Weather Lesson Plan K–2 Interdisciplinary SEL & Science Duration: 45–50 Mins
Sensory Weather Lesson Plan
Teacher Facilitation Guide
Inner Climate Awareness
CASEL Competencies
Self-Awareness (Somatic cue labeling) & Self-Management (Sensory tools)
Essential Question
"What is my body's inner weather today, and what tool helps me feel steady?"
Materials Needed
Sensory Weather Slides, Reset Menu Worksheets, Journals, Reset Bin
Core Taxonomy: The 4 Inner Climates
Sunny & Steady Optimal / Green
Body Signs: relaxed shoulders, steady breathing, alert eyes, calm heart.
Goal: Maintain rhythm, celebrate curiosity, engage in collaborative learning.
Windy & Wobbly High Energy / Yellow
Body Signs: bouncy legs, fidgety fingers, fast talking, buzzing thoughts.
Goal: Heavy work & deep proprioceptive pressure to anchor the body.
Stormy & Surging Overwhelmed / Red
Body Signs: clenched fists, pounding heart, hot cheeks, tears, tight chest.
Goal: Co-regulation, dim light, cocoon space, cool water sip, soft exhale.
Foggy & Floating Low Energy / Blue
Body Signs: heavy head, slumped posture, yawning, slow reaction, glazed gaze.
Goal: Gentle alerting stretches, brisk cross-body taps, sensory crunch, cool wash.
Lesson Sequence: Part 1
1 Phase 1: The Mystery Weather Hook (8 Mins) Slide Deck 1–3
• Teacher Script: "Close your eyes. Put both hands on your belly. Does it feel calm like a sunny morning, fizzy like a wind gust, thunderous like a storm cloud, or foggy like a cool mist?"
• Core Rule: "No weather is bad weather. Just like Earth needs rain, our bodies need every feeling. We just need the right weather gear!"
2 Phase 2: Somatic Body Scan & Climate Theater (12 Mins) Slide Deck 4–7
• Guide students through 4 kinesthetic poses: The Sunny Mountain (grounded stillness), The Whirlwind Tree (wiggly branches), The Thunder Cloud (tense & explode into lightning release), and The Floating Lilypad (slow melty yawn).
• Ask students: "Where did you feel heat? Where did you feel butterflies? That is your body's barometer speaking!"
Sensory Weather Report • K–2 Emotional Regulation Guide Page 1 of 2
Phase 3 & 4: Sensory Resets & Classroom Stations
Implementation Guide
3 Phase 3: The 4-Zone Sensory Reset Lab (15 Mins) Worksheet & Stations
• Distribute the Sensory Reset Menu Worksheet .
• Introduce 4 tangible sensory stations placed in corners of the classroom: Anchor Station (wall pushes, weighted lap pads), Cooling Den (dim lights, noise muffs, slow glitter jar), Spark Station (citrus scent scratch, wall pushups, cross-crawls), and Breath Anchor (pinwheel breaths, finger tracing).
4 Phase 4: Independent Logging & Partner Check-In (12 Mins) Inner Climates Journal
• Students open their Inner Climates Journal .
• Step 1: Draw today's weather cloud in their body outline.
• Step 2: Circle 1 sensory reset they will try right now.
• Step 3: Test the reset for 90 seconds. Draw the "After" weather!
Sensory Station Gear Guide
Proprioceptive
Wall pushes, desk push-aways, chair pushups, bear hugs, weighted toy.
Respiratory
Pinwheel blowing, hot cocoa breath, lazy 8 finger tracing, bumblebee hums.
Visual / Auditory
Glitter sensory wand, noise dampening muffs, dimmed lamp corner, eye cupping.
Alerting / Tactile
Cold water splash/sip, textured squishy spike ball, brisk butterfly shoulder taps.
Neurodiversity & ELL Supports
• Non-verbal communicators: Provide weather icon pointer cards or physical clip-on weather clothespins.
• Sensory Seekers: Integrate heavy work tasks (carrying book tub, wiping down tables).
• Sensory Avoiders: Never force tactile touch; offer quiet visual gazing options.
Daily Ritual Routines
• Morning Circle: "Weather Report" roll call—students show weather thumbs or place badge on the board.
• Transition Resets: After recess/lunch, use 60-second collective "Wind-to-Sun" breath before seatwork.
• Self-Advocacy: "Teacher, my radar says I'm windy. May I do 5 wall pushes?"
Key Facilitator Script Reframing:
Instead of "Calm down and sit still," say: "I notice your body weather is high wind right now. Let's find an anchor tool from your reset menu so your ship feels steady."
Sensory Weather Report • K–2 Emotional Regulation Guide Page 2 of 2
Sensory Weather Slides INNER CLIMATES EXPLORER
K–2 SENSORY SCIENCE
🌤️ Emotional Literacy & Body Radar
What Is Your
Inner Weather Today?
Listen to your body's signals, read your personal forecast, and pick the perfect sensory reset!
☀️ Sunny
💨 Windy
⛈️ Stormy
🌫️ Foggy
The #1 Weather Rule
All Weather Is Good Weather!
🌍
The Earth Needs Rain & Sun
Nature has sunshine, wind, rain, and snow. Without storms, flowers cannot bloom. Every season has a purpose!
🧒
Your Body Has Changing Skies
You are never "bad" for having stormy feelings or wiggly wind! We just need the right sensory gear to feel safe.
We don't fight the weather—we notice it, name it, and choose our tools!
The 4 Inner Climates
Meet the Four Body Climates
☀️
Sunny & Steady
Calm • Ready to Learn
Belly soft, eyes focused, body feels steady and balanced.
💨
Windy & Wobbly
Buzzy • Fast • Wiggly
Fidgety toes, fast chatter, bouncing like a breezy leaf!
⛈️
Stormy & Surging
Overwhelmed • Loud • Mad
Fast heartbeat, tight hands, heat in face, thunderous lightning!
🌫️
Foggy & Floating
Tired • Slow • Heavy
Heavy eyelids, melty body, daydreaming in a misty haze.
💡 Which one feels most like you right now?
Body Barometer
How Does Your Body Tell You?
📡 Internal Radar
❤️
Heart
Is it beating like a slow drum or a rapid woodpecker?
🌀
Belly
Does it feel loose and soft, fluttery, or tightly clenched?
✋
Hands
Are your fingers relaxed, shaking, or tightly balled?
⚡
Muscles
Are they melted like warm butter, or tight like steel ropes?
👉 Put one hand on your heart and one on your belly. Take a slow breath!
Sensory Reset Menu
Choose Your Weather Gear!
🧱
Heavy Work
For Windy & Wiggly
Wall pushes, desk press, lap pad weight, or big bear hugs!
🌌
Quiet Den
Inner Climates Journal Inner Climates Journal
Official Body Weather Report • Station Check-In
Name:
Date:
1 Step 1: Tune In to Your Body Radar What is your weather right now?
☀️
Sunny
Calm & Steady
💨
Windy
Buzzy & Wobbly
⛈️
Stormy
Overwhelmed
🌫️
Foggy
Tired & Heavy
Draw feelings here
Draw Your Weather Inside Your Body:
Where is your weather? Put rain clouds on your belly, lightning bolts in your fists, swirling wind in your feet, or sunshine in your chest!
My body feels:
2 Step 2: Choose 1 Sensory Reset Tool Try it for 1 to 2 minutes!
🧱 Heavy Work
Wall pushes / Bear hug
🌬️ Deep Breath
Pinwheel / Soup breath
🌌 Quiet Den
Noise muffs / Eye cup
💧 Cool Spark
Water sip / Stretch
3 Step 3: New Weather Forecast How did your body sky shift?
My body feels now: ☀️ More Steady 😌 A Little Calmer 🤔 I Need Another Tool
Inner Climates Journal • Morning Weather Station Entry Page 1
My Weekly Weather Patterns
Observe how your body climate changes through the week!
Weekly Forecast Log
5-Day Inner Climate Tracker
Draw your body weather symbol each day (☀️ Sunny, 💨 Windy, ⛈️ Stormy, 🌫️ Foggy):
Monday
Tool I tried:
Tuesday
Tool I tried:
Wednesday
Tool I tried:
Thursday
Tool I tried:
Friday
Tool I tried:
My Top 3 Sensory Super-Tools
Which tools help your body feel most calm and steady?
1
When I feel Windy, my favorite tool is:
2
When I feel Stormy, my favorite tool is:
3
When I feel Foggy, my favorite tool is:
Draw Your Calm Inner Sky:
Draw what it looks like when your body feels safe, happy, and peaceful!
Inner Climates Journal • Weekly Weather Radar Entry Page 2
Sensory Reset Worksheet Sensory Reset Worksheet
Weather-to-Tool Match & Personal Action Plan
Name:
Date:
A Part A: Match the Inner Weather to its Sensory Reset! Draw a line connecting the pairs:
Inner Weather State
💨 1. Windy & Wobbly (Buzzy)
⛈️ 2. Stormy & Surging (Mad/Tears)
🌫️ 3. Foggy & Heavy (Tired/Slow)
☀️ 4. Sunny & Steady (Focused)
Best Sensory Reset
🌌 Cooling Den (Dim light & eye cup)
🧱 Heavy Work (Wall push & bear hugs)
🤝 Steady Learning & Partner Sharing
💧 Cold Water Sip & Big Stretches
B Part B: Build Your Personal Sensory Toolbag Check the tools you want to try in class:
🧱 Heavy Pressure Tools
5 Firm Wall Pushes Weighted Lap Pad / Stuffed Animal Chair Push-Ups (lifting body with hands)
🌌 Quiet / Dimming Tools
Noise Dampening Ear Muffs Watching Slow Glitter Sensory Bottle Resting Head on Arms (Dark Tent)
🌬️ Mindful Breath Tools
Pinwheel Spin Breath (slow exhale) Smell Flower & Blow Out Birthday Candle 5-Finger Star Breathing Trace
💧 Alerting Spark Tools
Cool Water Fountain Drink Butterfly Shoulder Cross-Taps Full Body Reach & Big Sky Yawn
C Part C: My Self-Advocacy Plan How will you tell your teacher?
1. When my weather is Windy or Stormy, I can say:
"Teacher, my body weather is shifting. May I please use the:
2. After my 2-minute reset, I will check back in by:
Sensory Weather Report • Student Action Worksheet Page 1 of 2
My Desk Weather Station Badges
Color, cut out, and clip your current weather to your desk!
✂️ Hands-On Craft
TIP
How to use your badges: Color each of the 4 weather cards below. Cut along the dashed lines. Keep them in your desk pocket or use a clothespin to show your teacher your weather silently without interrupting learning!
✂️
☀️
SUNNY & STEADY
"My body feels calm and ready."
Action: Keep rolling! ★ Ready to Help
✂️
💨
WINDY & WOBBLY
"My body has buzzy, wiggly energy."
Reset: Wall Pushes ★ Heavy Work
✂️
⛈️
STORMY & SURGING
"My feelings are loud and big."
Reset: Quiet Den ★ Deep Breath
✂️
🌫️
FOGGY & HEAVY